China protest arrest of national for alleged spy activities in Philippines

​​​​​​​By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - Beijing lodged a protest with Philippines authorities for the arrest of a Chinese national for alleged “espionage activities,” the Chinese Embassy in Manila said Saturday.

The Embassy said the accusation against is "baseless and defamatory."

"The so-called ‘espionage’ activities of Chinese citizens in the Philippines are pure slander," it said in a statement on the embassy’s website.

The embassy demanded consular access and the protection of the legitimate rights and interests of the detained national.

"We urge the Philippines to base its decision on facts, not to make presumptions of guilt, stop making groundless political speculation, handle the relevant cases in accordance with the law and impartially, earnestly fulfill the obligations of the bilateral consular treaty, arrange consular visits by embassy officials as soon as possible," it said.

Philippines official media reported Monday that security forces arrested a Chinese national on suspicion of espionage, claiming to have recovered equipment in his possession that authorities believe could be used to spy on military facilities.

Relations between China and the Philippines have long struggled, mainly because of the lingering South China Sea conflict.